Residents of 323 South Street have a long history of military service. John Green and his wife, Eliza Skinner-Green, purchased this house in 1879 from developer Robert Walker. Green served in the 7th Infantry Division of the U.S. Colored Troops during the Civil War. Sgt. William Gardner, the nephew of Eliza’s second husband, William Dobson, also was a Buffalo Soldier in the U.S. Army.
The house was owned and occupied by African Americans until 2002 when it changed ownership. In 2018-2019, the house was relocated to the center of two adjoining parcels within Lot 103 and completely renovated as part of the Town of Easton’s Housing on The Hill initiative.
From this corner lot, look to the willow tree and Asbury Church beyond, which will be your next stop.
Sgt. Gardner’s reenlistment papers describing his service in the U.S. Calvary and his excellent horsemanship were found when the house changed ownership in 2002. This discovery drew attention to the significance of the house’s history.
In 2012, this site became the focus of the first modern-day archaeological dig in Easton. The excavation by the University of Maryland, College Park showed that the ground had not been disturbed and that a part of the property’s history remained intact below the ground.
This dig became the start of several years of productive research on The Hill. Two U.S. Army buttons dated from 1860-1880 were recovered in the dig here. For more on the military history and archaeology of this site, see the INTERPRETIVE PANEL in front of the house.